Dispensing can



L. R. PAUL ET AL DISPENSING CAN Nov. 7,' 1933.

Filed Jan. 5, 1933 QPQZLZ Z-EZ WZZ-Jtmentom (Ittornegs Patented Nov. 7,1933 PATE NTT OFFICE DISPENSING CAN Leon R. Paul, Brooklyn, and SamuelE. Witt, New York, N. Y.

Application January 3, 1933. Serial No. 650,002

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a can or metal box designed primarily forholding cut tobacco such as used for filling smoking pipes and makingcigarettes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this characterwhich is collapsible by degrees while in use and during the dispensingof its contents so that after a portion of its contents has been removedit becomes impossible to restore the device to its original appearance.Consequently refilling of old containers with inferior products cannotbe successfully accomplished.

Another object is to provide a container of this type having a sectionaltop or lid which can be opened readily for lling the container andwhich, when closed, provides a supplemental outlet from which thecontents can be delivered accurately intothe bowl of a pipe or other re-20 ceiver.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and arrangement hereinafter more fully described andpointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes can be madeWithout departing' from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has beenshown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in sectionshowing the container in its extended position with its supplementalcover raised.

Figure 2 is a section on l'me 2 2, Figure l.

Figure 3 is a perspective view` of a modied form of cover.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of another form of cover.

Referring to the gures by characters of reference 1 designates thebottom section of the container which can be of any preferred size andshape. In the structure illustrated it is shown with fiat sides androunded ends. This section is closed at the bottom and is provided alongboth of its flat walls with angular recesses 3 formed by pressing thematerial of the wall outwardly. These recesses are arranged in seriesextending from the bottom to the top and each recess has its upper walldisposed at right angles to the inner surface of the container wall soas to form a stop shoulder 4. The bottom Wall of each recess is inclinedupwardly and outwardly as at 5. In other words the series of recesses l'notches 3 provide, in effect, elongated ratchet teeth between them.

The top of the container section 1 is open to receive the top section 6which telescopes thereinto. This top section is open at the top andbottom and is provided in each wall near its lower end with anout-struck ratchet tooth 7 so proportioned that when the section 6 isslid downwardlywitlin the section 1 said ratchet teeth will be seatedsuccessively within the respective recesses 3. Each time a tooth isseated in one of these recesses it looks the section 6 against upwardmovement relative to section 1.

'Ihe top of section 6 is provided with a lid 8 hingedly connectedthereto and adapted to lit snugly thereon so as to close the container.The hinge between this lid andthe container has been indicated at 9.

In the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 the lid 8 is formed with anend portion 10 joined thereto by means of a transverse hinge 11. Thisend portion of the lid constitutes a supplemental lid which normallycloses that portion of the container thereunder, as indicated by brokenlines in Figure 1. The supplemental lid can be swung open, however,without dislodging the main lid 8 and when it is thus opened, as inFigures 1 and 2, the contents of the container can be delivered throughthe uncovered portion thereof and guided directly into the pipe bowl orother receiver provided therefor.

Normally the teeth 7 are seated in the uppermost notches 3 as shown inFigures 1 and 2, at which time the container is filled with the materialto be packaged.

When it is desired to dispense material from the package thesupplemental lid 10 is opened and the material delivered from theuncovered portion of the container. As the bulk of the containedmaterial is reduced the user can press the section 6 further intosection 1 until teeth 7 engage in other notches. Thus the material willbe held compactly until further delivery makes it desirable to againcontract the container. This operation can be repeated until thecontainer has been reduced to its minimum size. As the top sections areinterlocked, it is practically impossible to restore the container toits original size without mutilation. Consequently the re-use of thecontainer and possible lling with inferior goods is prevented.

The sections of the container have a certain resiliency which permitsmovement of theteeth 7 from one notch to another, and maintains thentertting parts in proper engagement follow- 110 ing each step in thecontraction or collapse of the device.

Instead of hingedly connecting the supplemental lid to the main lid inthe manner described, it can be mounted to slide as shown in Figure 3.In that form of the device the main lid 12 has one end portion of itstop cut away to provide an outlet opening 13. Slots 14. are formed inopposed flanges of the main lid and receive wings 15 extending laterallyfrom a slide 16 constituting the supplemental lid. Obviously with thisarrangement the lid can be slid back and forth to open or closedposition.

In Figure 4 the main lid 17 has one end of its top cut away to providean outlet opening 18 and a slot 19 is formed in the flange 20 of themain lid and extends partly around the opening. A plate 21 constitutesthe supplemental cover and is extended across opening 18 and within slot19. One corner portion of this plate is joined to the top of the cover17 by a pivot pin 22 or the like. To open the supplemental cover 21 itis merely necessary to swing it laterally about pivot 22 and throughslot 19. This operation is reversed to close opening 18 and the plate 2lcan be formed to bind within one end of slot 19 as indicated for exampleat 23 when the supplemental lid is closed.

In all three forms of the device illustrated the supplemental lid isheld against free movement to open position because of frictionalengagement With adjacent parts.

Although the container has been illustrated as formed of two telescopingsections, it is to be understood that it can be made of three or' moresections.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing container including telescopically connected sections,there being a longitudinal series of angular ratchet notches in theinner surface of one of the sections, each providing a stop shoulder atits upper end, an angular tooth upon the outer surface of the othersection for engagement with the notches successively when the containeris collapsed, thereby to prevent elongation of the container from anyposition following complete or partial contraction thereof, and aclosure for the upper end of one of the sections.

2. A dispensing container including telescopically connected sections,there being a longitudinal series of ratchet notches in the innersurface of the outer section each providing a stop shoulder at its upperend, an angular tooth upon the outer surface of the inner section forengagement with the notches successively when the container is collapsedthereby to prevent elongation of the container from any positionfollowing complete or partial contraction thereof, and a closure for theupper end of one of the sections.

3. A dispensing container including telescopically connected sections,there being a longitudinal series of angular ratchet notches in theinner surface of each side Wall of one of the sections, an angular toothupon the outer surface of each side wall of the other section forwedging between said notched walls and for successive engagement withthe notches when the container is collapsed, thereby to preventelongation of the container from any position following complete orpartial contraction thereof, and a closure for the upper end of one ofthe sections.

LEON R. PAUL.

SAMUEL E. WITI.

